


Opposites attract

by IggysBunny



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Alfred is an adorable baby, Bottom America (Hetalia), Chubby America (Hetalia), Insecurity, M/M, Protective Arthur, Self-Acceptance, Slow Burn, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Top England (Hetalia), UKUS, USUK - Freeform, Weight Gain, Weight Issues, it's getting smuttier, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2018-11-04 20:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10998798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IggysBunny/pseuds/IggysBunny
Summary: Arthur was a wealthy, attractive man who missed only one thing in his life - a real relationship. Until he met Alfred, who unknowingly unlocked Arthur's softer side with his softer body.





	1. Not a runner

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this to dA originally, but I decided to post it here as well, with some corrections. Hope you will like it!

_Arthur was a considerably cool guy. He used to be an excellent student, a former football player (which now, living in America, his annoyed self had to present as a soccer player), and he had always had rather a great life._  
 _At the time, he was a handsome and very successful talk show host with a huge flat from which he could see New York perfectly. There's no need to mention his fans loved him for his accent and his endless sarcasm._  
 _However, Arthur himself was not entirely satisfied. His home felt... empty. There were many speculations about his personal life, but Arthur kept his private life a secret. It wasn't a problem; there was not much to hide anyway._  
 _Arthur preferred men. He had never tried to conceal that. But after a certain point of his life, he decided to stop randomly making out with guys- he decided it was high time for him to find the one._  
 _Well, it wasn't easy. He spent a lot of time looking and he was ready to give up._  
 _Then, out of the blue, Arthur found him, discovering an entirely new kink of his along the way._   
  
  
Arthur enjoyed morning runs. Headphones in his ears, the sun slowly rising... It pumped him up and kept him fit. He often ran through the Central Park, which had relatively fresh air compared to the rest of the city. It wasn't the best, but it was definitely better than nothing.  
  
That morning, the usual routine slightly collapsed when Arthur discovered he'd forgotten his headphones at home. It happened from time to time and it was not going to stop him, although music made things a bit more fun.  
  
After approximately 5 minutes of running, with his feet lightly touching the surface of the pavement, he couldn't ignore the heavy huffs behind him anymore. His pace was not unbearably fast, hell, people often _outran_ him, yet someone was trying to keep up with him and was obviously terribly failing.  
  
He sped up. Just a little.  
  
Whoever was behind him got behind a bit, but soon managed to return to his previous distance from Arthur, who didn't feel like running any faster, so he just rolled his eyes and maintained the speed.  
  
The breathing got even deeper and suddenly it stopped with a thud and a couple of coughs.   
Arthur could have ignored that, but he simply had to check on the person behind him, to make sure they were alright. He stopped and turned around.  
  
On the ground, there was a blond, chubby guy, kneeling, with his hands on the ground and his head dropped down.   
The Briton approached him and leant down.   
  
"Excuse me, sir, are you okay?" He asked concerned.  
  
The blond head shook yes, even though it didn't seem like it at all as he was desperately trying to catch his breath.   
  
Arthur knitted his eyebrows together. "Maybe you should stand up and walk around, that should help you to calm down and breathe regularly. It's much better than to stop moving at all..."   
  
The man tried to lift himself up, but his legs seemed too weak and felt like jelly. He nearly fell back down. However, Arthur helped him by supporting him, and only at that moment the stranger showed Arthur his face.   
It was all red and sweaty, with his gaze fixed on the ground, while foggy glasses laid on his button-like nose. "T-thanks..." He let out among the breaths and finally glanced at Arthur.   
His eyes were wonderfully blue and innocent, even through all the blurriness of the glasses.  
  
Startled a little, Arthur muttered, "No problem..." He kept looking at this guy's face, at his plump cheeks, plump, slightly opened lips, and those baby blue eyes; then shook his head lightly, mentally slapping himself. "I guess it'd be better for you to sit down..." He said softly and led him to a bench, where the boy gracefully plopped, while Arthur remained standing in front of him. He had to admit, it was pretty cute. "Take deep breaths, in with your nose, out with your mouth, alright?" He instructed.  
  
The reply was a simple nod. Arthur took a chance to get a closer look on this "runner", while he was trying to calm down.  
  
He seemed quite young, a few years younger than Arthur... His hair was really messy and wet; there were few drops of sweat on his forehead. His plain, rather tight navy blue t-shirt showed his rapidly rising and descending chest. His belly was sticking out over the waistband of his trousers. His thighs touched each other, looking melted. He was wearing some short grey sweatpants, a bit dirty at the area of the knees, because of the fall, and a pair of shoes which was not meant for running.   
  
"I'm... sorry..." The man - well, now Arthur wasn't sure if man was the right word to use in describing this messy cutie - looked at Arthur in an apologetic manner.   
  
It took the Briton a short while to understand what he meant. Arthur then gave him a reassuring smile. "Oh, there's nothing to be sorry for. I would not have stopped running if I had not _wanted_ to stop."  
  
"Alright then..." His breathing was more even now. He bit his lip. "I don't usually... go running..." He said in an attempt to explain himself.   
  
'No shit.' Arthur thought, amused, but stayed quiet, listening to what the stranger had to say.  
  
"I was running, b-but I thought I was... too slow," He took a deeper breath, "and then I saw you, and thought it could go better if I followed... but I don't think it was a good idea... 'cause my legs kinda gave in." He looked down, disappointed in himself.  
  
"Let me tell you, it certainly was not. You shouldn't run fast if you are a beginner."   
  
The boy nodded before asking a question, still avoiding the eye contact. "A-aren't you that guy from the tv? Arthur... Arthur Kirkland?"   
  
Arthur sighed. "Yes, that would be me..."  
  
"Cool. I sometimes watch your show..." He said and nervously glanced at Arthur, then back down.

There was a moment of awkward silence. 

Arthur broke it. "Um, glad to hear that. And you are...?"  
  
The guy looked up at the Brit as if he had done something unbelievable, and introduced himself. "I'm Alfred. Alfred Jones."  
  
"It’s nice to meet you, Alfred." Arthur smiled at him.   
  
Alfred gave him a small smile in return, it wasn't clear if he was blushing or not, but his cheeks became redder, or so it seemed. "Same here."   
  
Arthur's heart skipped a beat. He tried to keep his face straight, it would have been weird for him to smile all the time. This Alfred, he was still rather pink, he was damp from all the perspiration, not looking the best, and he certainly wasn't a guy Arthur would choose to spend a night with, or to date, or to even hit on. Arthur felt a bit superficial. Alfred probably wasn’t the ideal of today’s beauty, but the more Arthur observed him, the more attractive he seemed. His smile was really sweet and innocent and he seemed soft and fluffy and warm and his eyes were just like that morning's sky and Arthur felt like he could stare into them for hours... Although his green eyes were a bit more interested in the pudge Alfred had around his waist. He tried hard not to look though. Why would he want to anyway...?!  
  
He decided to get to know Alfred. Maybe, just maybe, was there a chance for Alfred to be... the one?   
  
"You should drink some water." Arthur stated.  
  
Alfred nodded. "Alright." Then he frowned. "I- I don't have any water here..."   
  
It made Arthur chuckle. ”I can see that. I thought we'd buy some."   
  
The bigger one stood up carefully, only know realizing the feeling of dizziness that almost overwhelmed him once more. Luckily Arthur was right there, making sure Alfred would stay on his feet.   
They started slowing walking away from the bench, with Alfred leaning against Arthur occasionally.  
  
  
\---  
  
  
Alfred was standing by a pole, just in case he lost his balance, as he was waiting for Arthur, who insisted on paying for Alfred's bottle of water himself. He felt really exhausted and confused. He wasn't able to comprehend the other's actions. Kirkland was really nice and he wasn't mean at all, unlike on his show.   
  
The Brit came closer to Alfred with two bottles and handed him one.   
The taller one took it, thanked him and unscrewed the top before drinking half of it.   
Arthur opened his too, smiled at the American's thirst and had a few gulps himself. Then he handed Alfred a granola bar.   
  
"Um, here, take this, it'll help you regain some energy." The look given back to him seemed unsure.   
  
"Come on~" He said encouragingly again and Alfred finally grabbed it.   
  
"You didn't have to buy me anything..." He muttered, looking at the bar in his hand.  
  
"Hey, don't be like that, I've already said, I only do the things I mean." Arthur gave him a strict glance.  
  
"Well, you've just met me, that's why I find it a bit... weird." Alfred averted his eyes.   
  
Arthur's cheeks turned pink. It really was weird, but he couldn't really explain why he was acting that way. "It's just... Err..." He couldn't explain himself. "Stop questioning all I do! I simply think people should be... N-nice! Nicer. To each other." He stuttered with a raised voice, frowning.   
  
Silence fell upon them once again. Alfred felt bad for judging Arthur's behaviour just because of his appearance in front of the audience.  
  
He tried to start at least a little chat. "So, um, you go running often?" He glanced at the shorter one.  
  
"Yes, yes, I do. Almost every morning. It's a nice way to unwind. All the stress from work drains a lot of my energy, and this basically keeps me sane." He chuckled.  
  
"Oh, awesome." Alfred nodded. He had no idea about running. He had no idea about what Arthur might have been doing while not being on the screen. He had no idea what to say.  
  
Luckily, Arthur probably noticed that and changed the topic. "What about you? I mean... What do you do?"  
  
"I'm trying to draw... Like, my own comics..."   
  
Arthur nodded. "Interesting. Kind of... So... you decided to take up running, huh? Trying to get fit?" He smirked.  
  
Alfred's expression was hard to read, but he felt uncomfortable explaining that. His eyes glazed over lightly. "Well... Eh..." He didn't know how to reply. He didn’t know the answer himself.  
  
Arthur soon realised this question was not particularly polite and tried to save the situation. "Never mind that..." He cleared his voice. "So, how's your drawing career?"   
  
"Not well. I'm a cashier now." He muttered still feeling awkward.  
  
"Ah, I see... I know this isn't very polite, but I have to ask... How old are you?" He tilted his head, hoping he hadn't crossed any lines.  
  
"19. You?"  
  
Arthur blinked few times at him. Al was younger than he had hoped. He did have those soft cheeks giving him a bit of a baby face though. "Ehm, me? I'm- I'm 25..." He replied in a murmur. He almost felt a bit too old next to Alfred, who just nodded in reply. But his blue eyes widened suddenly.   
  
"Do you know what time it is?"   
  
Arthur checked his watch. "It's 7:40."  
  
Alfred seemed a bit worried. "I'll be late... I... I gotta go..."   
  
The Brit sighed and looked down, disappointed. "Oh..." Then he got an idea and just as Alfred was ready to turn and walk away, Arthur grabbed his hand, pulling him a step closer, and their eyes met. It was now or never. "What would you say about having a coffee with me sometimes?" Arthur asked with a   
flirty smile.   
  
Alfred appeared mesmerized. He just stared at Arthur, whose face looked even better in real life than on tv. He shook his head lightly, up and down in an agreement.   
  
"Wonderful!" Arthur's smile turned into a grin. He took his phone out and with a few clicks handed it to Alfred. "Just type your number in. We'll talk later, since you're in a hurry."  
  
Alfred wasn't sure about that, but whatever, he thought as he left his number in Arthur's phone.   
  
  
\---  
  
  
In the evening, Alfred was sitting on his bed, looking at the wrapper of the bar Arthur had given him. He ate it on his way to work, already being late.  
  
Many emotions varied in his mind as he stood up and started walking in his room.   
He simply couldn't believe it. Did Arthur _flirt_ with him? More importantly, why? Maybe Alfred misread the situation...  
It wasn't like he was particularly self-conscious, but embarrassing himself in front of Arthur made him feel that way. He was polite, charming and attractive and Alfred didn't understand it. His eyes were a bit mysterious and intimidating. Every time he saw Arthur Kirkland's show, he seemed like an asshole.   
  
Yet when he was looking at Alfred, his entire face expressed much softer feelings.   
  
Alfred turned to his phone.   
  
Still nothing.  
  
What if it was just some kind of a nasty joke? He _was_ , after all, a comedian, Alfred thought. Maybe something for a new sketch...   
  
He sighed and went to the kitchen to make dinner. Well, to put it into his microwave. He was a bit too tired to cook. Soon, when he started eating a plate of lasagne, Alfred's telephone rang. He jumped from the chair to his feet and ran to check it. It was a new number he couldn't recognize, which meant it might as well have been Arthur!   
  
"Hello?" He asked after picking up.  
  
Alfred melted internally when he heard Arthur's voice on the other side of the phone. "Hi, Alfred!" Briton's voice seemed cheerful. "I was wondering if you'd like to meet someday soon. I don't know when you have time, so I decided to give you a call."   
  
Alfred squealed mentally. So it was actually real..? There was still a bit of doubt deep inside of him, but he ignored that. "Oh, hey Arthur! Well... I'm free practically every evening... I don't really have... plans." He cleared his voice. What a bore. Alfred never did anything, that much was true. Anything important. He played video games, watched something, or doodled a little... But his social life was practically non-existent.   
  
"I see... Does this mean you're free tonight as well?"  
  
Was this going where Alfred thought it was? "Yeah, pretty much?"   
  
"Very well then, what would you say about having a coffee with me? Or maybe a cake, hmm?" Arthur purred.  
  
"Sure, um... Okay." Alfred replied, not so sure.  
  
“Brilliant! See you at 7, I’ll send you the address to a great café. Bye!” The Brit replied happily.  
  
As they ended the call, the American lied down and eyed the ceiling, staring at it with mixed feelings.


	2. The realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unknowingly, Alfred makes Arthur realise a lot about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos, bookmarks and comments!   
> I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well :3

Arthur was sitting by a table near some windows, in a small café, waiting for Alfred to arrive. He was excited to meet the adorable American again. He was slightly late though, it made Arthur worry. The boy didn't seem very comfortable around Arthur. But who would've ditched Arthur?   
  
The last thing he wanted was to scare Alfred away or to force him into any kind of relationship. Friendship or more. If it hadn't worked out, he would've had to deal with it.  
  
As the door opened, and Alfred walked in, looking around, the Brit's worries were gone immediately. He waved at the younger one and checked him out.  
  
Alfred's hair was less messy than this morning, although there remained a cowlick stubbornly sticking out; he was wearing a dark, loose, greyish t-shirt with a shield of Captain America on it, a pleated red and black shirt over it, some dark jeans... Alfred almost seemed like a different person, and all his curves were hidden under the clothes.  
  
However, Arthur's attire didn't resemble the morning's one either. He tried to pick something more elegant compared to that sporty outfit, something he felt better in- a maroon sweater hiding everything but a collar of his creamy shirt, and a pair of beige trousers. Then again, Arthur always wore something similar to it, if he had a chance.  
  
"Hey!" Alfred beamed standing next to the table.   
  
"Well hello." Arthur gave him a smile in return. "Have a seat, please~"  
  
The American pulled a chair opposite to Arthur's and sat down. "So... How was your day?" He seemed nervous.  
  
"Oh, it was sort of tiring. I had to meet way too many people and..." He rolled his eyes. "It was unbearable at some points. I looked forward to this meeting though. I hoped you would have no plans." He winked at Alfred with a playful smirk, then turned the conversation to the American, whose cheeks turned slightly pink. "How about your day?"  
  
"Well... I feel really tired. Some customers were so annoying. And my legs and arms hurt. So it kinda sucked." He sighed.  
  
Arthur knitted  his eyebrows together, his eyes showing empathy. "Poor thing... Don't worry, it'll pass soon." He thought about asking for the reason behind Alfred's attempt to run, but decided to let it be for now.  
  
Al was startled by the smaller's attitude. He expected some teasing.  
  
Arthur didn't even search through the cafe's offer. "Order whatever you'd like. It's on me."  
  
Quietly, Alfred turned his head towards the menu, thankful for Arthur's hospitality and after some time decided for a caramel latte, which he ordered. Arthur had a cup of green tea.  
  
As they were waiting for their drinks, Arthur glanced at Alfred, whose eyes were still fixed on the menu. "Would you like anything else?" He asked, tilting his head questioningly. "They have amazing cakes here. Feel free to pick some."  
  
There was doubt in Alfred's face.  
  
"Um... I don't want any..." He murmured with an unsure tone.  
  
 _What a bad liar_ , Arthur thought and decided to step in. As the waiter brought their steaming cups, Arthur ordered two pieces of cheesecake, for which he received a puzzled glance from the American.  
  
"What?" Arthur asked casually.  
  
Alfred shook his head and glanced down. "Nothing... I just... didn't want a cake."  
  
"Oh, you certainly didn't; you were drooling because of the variety of teas they offer here." Arthur rolled his eyes, fighting a smirk.  
  
The American widened his eyes. "I was what?! Gosh, I didn't even realize that... Those cakes must be really good and- I'm so sorry..." He gave the other apologetic puppy eyes, blushing.  
  
Of course, Alfred wasn't drooling. However, his reaction revealed he truly wanted something sweet to bite on. Arthur smiled lightly, satisfied.   
He was also partially feeling mushy on the inside because of the way Alfred stared at him.   
  
"Don't worry about that." He replied quietly and hid his face in a mug. The effect the pal had on him was incredible.  
  
As the cakes were laid on the table, Alfred unsurely looked at his one.  
  
Briton placed his mug down, ignoring his a bit burned and aching tongue - the tea was still hot which he did not realize until it was too late (he had to play it off in a cool way) - and focused on Alfred. "Well, aren't you going to eat it?" He grinned shortly and took a fork.  
  
Alfred couldn't decide. He did want the cake, but then Arthur could assume he was just a greedy pig just like everyone else did. He didn't want that to happen, he didn't want him to think anything, in fact, so he grabbed his fork too, but cautiously, giving Arthur a crooked smile. "Ehm, yeah..." He pressed the fork into the cake, slowly cutting through it.  
  
Arthur was already chewing a slice. He wasn't very keen on cakes, but it seemed to make Al more comfortable if he had a piece too. That made him realize - 'Al' sounded pretty cute.  
  
"Do you like it?" Arthur asked, leaving his fork resting against the plate, while the other started eating his piece in a slightly increasing speed.  
  
It seemed interesting that the Briton was oddly satisfied with Alfred's appetite. On the other side of the table, Alfred tried to keep calm, but noticing Arthur's eyes watching him, he became even more insecure. Halfway through the cake, he dropped the fork, reddening.  
  
Arthur was baffled. The guy stopped eating? Maybe he was full. No, that couldn't be. It was a half of a piece of a cheesecake! And Alfred was able to eat much more, Arthur reckoned. Realising where his thoughts had gone, he shook the awkward ideas off and asked, "Aren't you going to finish it?"  
  
The American glanced at him, insecure. "I don't think so..."  
  
"This is on me, don't you think it's quite rude not to finish?" Arthur gave him a firm look. He didn't mind _that_ , honestly, he simply wanted Al to continue eating, for whatever reason. It felt strange. But in a good way.  
  
"Well..." Alfred frowned thoughtfully.   
  
This person didn't seem to be judgmental because of his looks so far... Moreover it probably truly wasn't so nice of him...   
  
"I'll finish it." He replied and picked up the fork again, eating slightly faster this time, a happy glint in his eyes.  
  
Arthur's lips curled up just slightly as he drank his tea calmly, watching Alfred's sort of childish and oddly charming excitement.  
  
"Would you like to finish my cake? I'm afraid I can't do so..." He asked when the American finished his own.  
  
Narrowing his eyes, Alfred nodded. "Alright, I guess... I wouldn't want for it to go to waste..." He muttered, applying the same logic to finishing Arthur's cake. It would be rude, had he not finished.  
  
Arthur smiled warmly. "Good. Here~" He pushed the plate with a third, if not a half of the cake left on it.  
  
"Thanks." Alfred smiled back and dug into the piece, sipping on the sweet coffee occasionally.  
The Brit looked into his tea, still wearing a small smile.  
  
After Arthur paid for the order, they left the place and went out for a walk. Slowly, they were strolling through the streets, having a little chat every now and then. The topics differed and were usually followed by a moment of awkward silence. Arthur noticed Al's cheeks turning pink rather often, especially when he complimented Alfred, even though it was just slightly. He found it adorable.  
  
He glanced at the other, while the American wasn't looking his direction, his attention caught by something little in his surroundings. Arthur admired his features, emphasised by the lights of the street lamps shining through the darkness.  
  
They were soft, almost a bit feminine... From a side, his nose was pointed up a little, creating a little curve. His cheekbones were hidden by the softness and a few strands of hair covered his ear, the one Arthur could see. Gosh, Alfred was simply beautiful. The Briton wondered if he had any idea.

  
Alfred turned back towards the smaller one abruptly, as if to say something, too quickly for Arthur to react. Or maybe the Brit was too fascinated to notice fast enough.  
  
Nevertheless, Al noticed Arthur's intense stare, his blue eyes widened; he blushed and bit his lower lip, glancing away.   
  
"W-what's wrong? Why are you giving me that look?" He asked unsurely.  
  
"I'm just... Ehm..." Now his cheeks were burning. He couldn't simply say the truth. It was too soon...  
He stayed quiet, his eyes pinned on the pavement. "Forget it. What were you going to say?"  
  
Alfred turned back to him, with a bit of worry in his eyes, then started. "I just... wanted to ask if you want a hot dog... 'Cause that stand over there is open and maybe I'd have one, b-but it's pretty late so I guess it's not a good idea so never mind..."  
  
The Brit threw a glance at Alfred. "Why do you think it's not a good idea? I don't think one hot dog can't do much damage." He murmured.  
  
The taller one looked away immediately in complete silence.  
  
Arthur let out a sigh, wondering what was wrong with the other and stopped near the stand along with Al.  
  
"So, would you like one or not?"  
  
After biting his lip, Alfred gave him a slight nod. "Y-yeah... but-" He answered quietly.  
  
Arthur turned on his heels and went to buy a hot dog. Al took it with, "Thank you- you didn't have to...".  
  
Then they sat down on a bench, Alfred was munching on his hot dog, and Arthur was sitting by his side. After some time, his curiosity reached its peak.  
  
"Why exactly do you act so awkwardly?" He looked at Alfred, tilting his head. "I get it, we've just met, but still."  
  
In the middle of taking a bite, the American glanced at Arthur with the hot dog in his mouth. He looked down, took a bite and quickly swallowed.   
  
"What do you mean?" The other asked.  
  
"You're so shy." Arthur stated.  
  
"Well... That... I don't know... I guess I have my reasons..."  
  
"I don't suppose you'll tell me much more, huh?"  
  
Alfred just shook his head and took another bite.  
  
They parted soon, since it was rather late and each went his own way.  
  
Later that night, Arthur found himself on his bed, thinking about what had happened.  
  
He kept thinking about Alfred. His thoughts were full of that boy. The more he pondered about him, the more puzzled he became. He found Alfred's figure attractive as much as the rest of him, which he couldn't comprehend.   
  
The truth was, his eyes often wandered to men who were kind of bigger, but Arthur had always thought it was normal, that they caught everyone's attention.   
  
What he truly pushed away was they seemed attractive to him. That was hard to admit. It was not a usual occurrence. However, they seemed so soft and warm and- Oh...   
  
It all made sense. Despite Alfred's pretty face and a so far lovely personality, the Brit enjoyed his love handles too. Maybe that explained why every single relationship so far, with those toned guys, had failed to last. Maybe he finally knew what he needed.   
  
He frowned- how did the phrase go? A bit more cushion for the pushin'?   
  
Seeing that chubby boy stuff himself today made him feel almost aroused...   
But of course, he did love the American's shyness and his smile as well... He needed to get to know him better.   
  
_Much better._


	3. Dates are tough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred is getting ready for their first date, but things don't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, I'll try to upload more often. Anyway, have this fluffy thing :)

Arthur started meeting Alfred as often as he could. Seeing the shy American  almost every day made his life somehow brighter. To ensure privacy, Arthur chose only places which no annoying paparazzi would visit. Little cafés or restaurants which remained unnoticed by the world, yet cosy and comfortable. They usually had a meal together, Alfred often helping Arthur with his portions. He often ate a bit too much. The Brit pushed him to eat more sometimes, and Alfred had a hard time refusing food, so each time his belly sat round in his lap, and all he could do was to rub it under the table, hoping no one would notice. Arthur usually did notice, wishing he could be the one rubbing it soothingly. Not to mention all that overeating was beginning to show after few weeks, Alfred's body becoming a tiny bit curvier.  
However, the younger one didn't seem to notice much and Arthur couldn't possibly mind less. Actually, he liked it. He might have helped it.  
  
They got to know each other better too, despite the fact Alfred didn't let the other know too much.  
Arthur had learnt mostly about the boy's family- his parents were divorced, he lived with his mom, who wasn't home very often, and he hardly ever saw his father. Then he mentioned his high school years briefly, describing the period rather negatively. His grades weren't exactly good and he seemed to be lonely. Other things the Brit had found out included his dislike of vegetables, clumsiness (this one was more proved than mentioned, he constantly tripped or dropped something...), and love towards video games and comic books.  
  
  
Their relationship was getting stronger gradually. Arthur started giving Alfred gentle hugs, enjoying them very much due to how soft he was. He had to be careful not to enjoy them _too_ _much_ though. He had to take it slow. Alfred was so pure and innocent and sometimes the older, more skilled and experienced Briton was forced to fight the urge to pin him against a wall with a passionate kiss or to run his hands all over Alfred's squishy body...  
Even when he first reached for his hand, his soft, warm hand, after two weeks of what should be considered dating, Alfred turned brightly red, flustered.  
He kept blushing lightly every time Arthur did it, as if he couldn't believe it was happening.  
  
A month and a half had passed since they met, and Arthur decided to finally invite Alfred to a more formal date. An official one.  
  
When Alfred ended the call with the other, his cheeks were red and his eyes wide.  
  
A date.  
  
A real date.  
  
He, out of all people, had a date with Arthur Kirkland. Which basically should mean Arthur really did like him. Unbelievable.  
  
He had around an hour to get ready, so he quickly headed to take a shower. Then he dried himself, put on his underwear and still wrapped in the towel, having it not around his waist but under his arms in the lady-like style, he started looking for some smart clothes.  
It took him forever to find something, and when he did, he threw it on his bed, over a bag of chips.  
A light blue pleated shirt, a mustard cardigan and a pair of black trousers.  
Looking at the picked outfit, he realised he had not worn those items in a very long time. Probably since the end of high school.  
He bit his lip and began changing.  
  
The shirt was the first item he reached for, sliding his arms into its sleeves. As he started buttoning the shirt up, he noticed it was a bit... more fitted than he remembered. A lot more, actually. Well, at the time he bought it, it was lose, but Alfred's body filled it up easily in no time. However, the last time he wore it, it was still less tight. In between the buttons, the shirt was obviously trying to expose his body.  
  
Alfred lowered his head when he was done with the last button. He couldn't even see his feet properly. His figure was hugged by the shirt, which only emphasised his stomach. Knitting his eyebrows together desperately, he sucked it in as much as he could. It didn't really help. He hated that, and raised his head to look into a mirror.  Even his chest was visibly soft! He totally had a pair of small breasts. It made Alfred feel vulnerable. Arthur had surely noticed the fact he wasn't exactly slim, but that shirt made him look even bigger! Or... Was the American really bigger?  
Whatever it was, he had no time to find out. It was time for Arthur to come to pick him up.  
  
With a shallow sigh, he grasped the trousers and started putting them on. The pants had reached his butt, tight as hell. And that was it. He couldn't manage to pull them up anymore. Clicking his tongue, he fell onto his bed, trying to wriggle them on, resembling a worm. He was on the verge of tears, cursing mentally. He did manage to get the pants through his hips and booty up to his waist, even though he couldn't move properly, and lying on the bed, he fought to zip them. He didn't want to cry, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't control himself, could he?  
After all, that's why he was spilling out of his clothes, he thought.  "C'mon, stomach, don't let me down..." He murmured to himself angrily, his shaky voice filled with hatred. Maybe he should've just let Arthur know he felt sick and he couldn't go out.  
  
A door bell rang.  
  
It was too late to call the date off. Arthur was there. And Al wasn't ready. What was he supposed to do? He didn't want to keep Arthur waiting outside... But he couldn't let the Brit see him that way.  
Taking a deep breath, feeling the shirt stretch lightly and the buttons straining, he stood up, hoping not to rip the pants. He was blushing hard and he couldn't stop the soft sobbing- he felt like a mess...  
He left his room waddling awkwardly, unable to move properly. He glanced through the peekhole and saw Arthur.  
He looked so well. His hair was a bit messy, but otherwise... He was very attractive, as always. His was wearing a crispy white shirt and a pair of dark jeans, with a navy blue blazer over it.  
Alfred opened the door just enough for Arthur to be able to fully open them and enter, and hurried into his room as well as he was able to, shutting the door.  
  
"Hello Alf-" Arthur stepped into the flat, expecting to see his pretty boyfriend, but... he wasn't there?  
  
"Alfred?" He called, looking around. He didn't want to sneak in and look for him, it felt wrong.  
  
"I-I'm changing... Wait... Wait please" Al stuttered out trying to seem calm.  
  
Arthur frowned, following the voice. "Are you alright?" He stood in front of the room from which the voice came. It was easy to determine, the place was small.  
  
"Yes... Y-yes I am." Alfred was hidden under his sheets, crying and curled up, his pants undone and some buttons of his shirt unbuttoned as well, since they undid themselves  because of the pressure. He had no clue how to deal with this situation. He felt miserable.  
  
"Can I come in?" The soft British voice asked, worried.  
  
"No! Please don't!"  
  
"Alfred, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Look, if you don't tell me, I'll go in."  
  
"Don't do that, just..." Alfred sniffled. "Just go home..."  
  
Arthur gritted his teeth. "Okay, I'm coming in!" He announced and did so.  
  
He entered a room which smelled like a mix of a junk food and a chocolate. The air was quite stale.  
There was a mess, with wrappers of sweets and various fast food meals and cans of sodas everywhere, shoes and socks found on random places, and many crumpled papers on the floor all around the bed. There were way too many posters, figures... and by a bag of chips and a mustard cardigan, there was a trembling ball hidden underneath the covers.  
  
Arthur approached the bed his face filled with worry. "Alfred? Alfred, are you okay?" He placed a hand on the bump.  
  
"Yes." The ball replied quietly.  
  
"You don't seem that way..." The smaller one said softly. "If you are fine, why don't you show yourself to me?" He patted Alfred lightly.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Can I have a look?" Arthur sat on the bed, grasping the covers where he expected his head to be.  
  
There was silence, which he considered a yes and slowly uncovered Alfred's face. He was covering it with his hands, but it was obvious he was crying.  
  
The Brit widened his eyes and took one of Al's hands, lifted it revealing a half of his face and reached for his cheek caressing it lovingly, while the other grabbed his sheets with the now free hand, making sure Arthur won't see too much of him. "Alfred, what happened?" Arthur asked carefully.  
  
"...I can't go anywhere... I-I'm sorry..." The American sobbed.  
  
"Why? Please, Alfred, tell me what's wrong..."  
  
Biting his lip, Alfred took a deep breath and rolled onto his back. "I-I... I have no smart clothes that fit... I can't even zip my pants..." He started crying more, hating to admit it. "I'm just... too fat. What do you even like about a loser like me?!" His wet blue eyes glared at Arthur, who leant over Alfred, looking back into them deeply.  
  
Should he have answered Alfred's question? Probably yes, even though he didn't usually say things like that.  
  
"Look..." He began, blushing lightly, but keeping the eye contact, gently wiping Alfred's tears with his thumb while cupping his cheek. "You're _not_ a loser. And I love everything about you. First of all, you're the purest human being I know. You are unbelievably adorable, innocent, kind and sweet. You get excited over little things... And much more. And...Your... Your face is so pretty, the shade of your eyes is lovely and your body... your body... I like it..." He murmured, crimson red. "I like it a lot... Your hugs are very comfortable and you're soft and I find you actually very attractive."  
  
Alfred watched him in disbelief. "A-attractive?" He asked, uncovering his tear-stained face completely.  
  
Arthur nodded. "Yes..."  
  
"But I'm f-fat... Fatter than when we met... I'm so sorry, you'd surely like me more slimmer, I don't know how it happened... I just hate myself, I-I'm so disgusting..." He sniffled.  
  
Starting to feel really bad, Arthur started carefully, "Call it however you want to... Fat, fluffy, plump..." He ran his hand through the other's hair gently. "I like you for being you... I certainly would not like you more, were you slimmer. Actually..." He gently took Alfred's hands, placing them aside, by his head, and uncovered him down to his waist.  
  
Then after undoing last few buttons that remained done, he ran a finger down the chubby chest, moving it as if drawing pictures seen only by him. Surprisingly, the American let him touch his chest. Arthur's eyes were fixed on it, wide with fascination, and Alfred's face grew pink. "I wouldn't mind you even softer... That might be why you've gotten... heavier. I'm sorry..."  
  
Arthur looked back into the other's eyes, serious. "However... The important thing is for _you_ to like yourself. Honestly, I see no reason for you to find yourself disgusting. You are beautiful. I think you need to understand that." Then he gave Alfred a warm smile and placing his hands by each side of the flabbier one's head, on the other's own hands, he leant even more to place a kiss on his nose.  
  
Blushing deeply, the American closed his baby blue eyes, feeling goosebumps all over him when Arthur's lips touched him. He couldn't believe the other's words. It seemed unreal that someone actually liked him. Especially after all he'd gone through.  
  
"I used to kind of like myself, actually..." He opened his eyes and started in a low, shaky voice.  
  
He'd always been plumper, although it was mostly just baby fat on his belly and his hips. He was actually a sporty kid, the extra plush remained mostly thanks to his love towards every possible unhealthy meal.  
After the divorce of his parents, however, things worsened. Alfred became more introverted, refusing to go out as much as he used to, and the weight started to pack on.  
It was all nailed by the high school years. Other students made fun of him for his already rather soft body, the homework made him feel super stressed and after a bunch of failed attempts to get rid of those extra pounds, he lost all the will to actually care about his looks, binging on his comfort food in order to feel better. Eventually, he tried to end his life, unable to handle everything. He found some pills and wolfed them down. Everything seemed so depressing and pointless.  
But his attempt failed, just like everything in his life, and he started visiting a therapist.  
  
When Alfred said that he tried to commit suicide, the Brit could feel his stomach twist. He decided to shower him with affection from that moment on, as much as his own pride would let him, and possibly even more.  
  
"A-after I graduated, I managed to find a j-job..." He continued, interrupted only by his own sobbing, while Arthur listened to him wearing a soft look, sitting straight now. "I kept trying to lose some...some weight... I've tried working out and running, b-but I can't maintain the routine... I go two or three times before giving up..." He knitted his eyebrows desperately, feeling miserable. "Not to mention I can't resist the junk food..."  
  
Arthur lifted his hand and cupped his cheek, wiping his tears with a thumb, looking deeply into his eyes. "Oh, Alfred.... Why exactly are you trying to lose weight?" He asked seriously.  
  
  
The question made Al frown. "It-it's socially unacceptable and people find it disgusting and it's probably unhealthy and I thought no one would like me and... and... I don't know..." He stuttered out, then admitted defeated. It was just always expected from him to fit a certain body image.  
  
"Hm..." Arthur nodded lightly. "Well, I understand. But I think you look just fine." He smiled lightly and pulled the sheets covering the other's body a bit lower, revealing his soft, pale tummy and hips.  
  
Alfred turned red, but didn't protest, so the Brit felt free to glance at the flabby stomach, biting his lip. Even though the pants refused to even zip up, Alfred had a lovely muffin top wearing them, visible from under the shirt. He looked at it appreciatively, then fixed his gaze on the other's burning cheeks and smiled lightly. "You shouldn't feel bad about your looks at all, _love_."  
  
The chubby one gave him a shy beam in return, feeling warm inside. Before he realized it, he found Arthur sitting on his lap, smirking, and lowering his torso over Alfred, placing his own hands by Alfred's head for support. Soon, they were staring into each other's eyes, Arthur's stare hungry, while Alfred's one full of expectations.  
Arthur let his head get so close to the other's, they both could feel each other's breathing. He then closed his eyes slowly and placed his lips on Alfred's.  
  
The kiss was short and gentle, but Alfred's lips were the softest Arthur had ever kissed. It felt almost wrong kissing him, disturbing his innocence.  
  
Arthur lifted his head after the kiss, focusing on those oceans of blue in the other's eyes.  
  
"You are beautiful. Remember it. I don't care how many times I should tell you this, today, or tomorrow, or any given day. I will until you, love, believe it."  
  
Blushing, Alfred kept his eyes on the other. "You think even my body is?" He asked unsurely.  
  
The shorter one smirked. "Yes..." He sat up and ran his hands down the soft curves, from his chest down to his hips. "Even your body is beautiful."  
  
"But now, we should figure our what you're going to wear." He stated blankly, his hands on Alfred's flabby belly, kneading into it very lightly. "Not that I mind you like this..." He smirked to himself once again, adding in a quiet murmur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this update! I appreciate all the kudos and comments, thank you so much for those!


	4. All it takes is one evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys go out together for an official date!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back  
> Back again  
> Bunny's back  
> Don't tell anyone 'cause this is a self-indulgent fanfic help
> 
> Anyway- after a year or so, here it comes!

Arthur was waiting in the hallway, where Alfred had sent him. He was leaning against a wall, looking at the floor thoughtfully. The American was adorable, he couldn't stop thinking about that.  
His body was so soft and warm... Simply lovable. Arthur knew he adored Alfred already. He also began to understand Alfred was much more complex than he had thought.

Arthur had never dated a man like that. It was going to be a challenge to make Alfred see how wonderful he truly was. Which brought him to an idea- he should probably make sure the plump boy was healthy... Or at least healthier. After all, his attempt to run was alarmingly bad. How should he suggest running to Alfred without making him feel bad, though?

He didn't want Alfred to lose weight. Unless Alfred himself wanted to lose a few pounds.

The point was, Alfred wasn't happy with his body. And Arthur knew losing weight wouldn't automatically mean he would become happy.

The Brit, being a scrawny short child hating his tiny size, knew that it wasn't growing taller that made him happy. He started loving his body when he realized it was his own temple, and he could do whatever he decided to do with it. Of course, Alfred might have seen things differently, but... but he could at least try. Try to accept and to love his body.

The thoughts kept striking the shorter blond. If Alfred had really wanted to become slim because of his own belief, he maybe would've managed. After all, from what he said, losing weight seemed to be connected to a better relationship with the outer world for him. It was partially understandable, given that society gave a hard time to anyone who didn't fit their definition of beauty.

Alfred suddenly appeared in a partially opened door, blushing and looking down shyly. He felt insecure; after all, he had just failed to zip his old pants up a few moments ago. The new pair was much easier to squeeze into, although not as elegant.

"T-this is pretty okay..." Alfred murmured and stepped out.

Arthur instantly returned up from his thoughtful state, looking at the younger male with a smile. The trousers he was wearing still gave him a muffin top, which was visible only a little, thanks to the dark grey lose sweater on top of his shirt. His belly could not remain unnoticed, but it gave him a look of a teddy bear. Arthur was mesmerized.  
"You look wonderful." He said honestly, turning a tad red.

The pair of blue eyes widened, then focused on the floor. He felt his cheeks burn, yet Alfred couldn't stop himself from blushing. Arthur made him go crimson way too often.  
"Thanks..." He said quietly, not sure if he was able to believe that.

"Well, shall we go?" The Brit asked, offering Alfred a hand. He took it with the gentleness and grace of a lady.  
Arthur smiled to himself and they left for the date.

~~~

The evening was going amazing.  
Alfred was getting out of the cocoon of embarrassment slowly, but steadily, the atmosphere was light and sweet, the dinner was delicious and Arthur felt proud of himself for finally taking Alfred out to a proper restaurant, with reservations and all.

He listened to Alfred talking about his experience as a shop assistant, sipping on a glass of wine. Alfred was able to turn even a seemingly boring story into an exciting experience, and Arthur loved how bubbly the American became after only two glasses of wine.

Soon enough, they moved to a dessert; Arthur had ordered them a both a rather fancy mango cheesecake and observed Alfred's ever-changing expressions, which mirrored his taste experience. Arthur nibbled on his portion slowly, softly smiling at Alfred. He had fallen for him, and he had fallen hard. The moment of his reckoning lasted long enough for Arthur to not notice the change in Alfred's expression.

His eyes were wide and he seemed frozen, his cheeks growing red. Then he started sinking slowly. Arthur quickly realised Alfred was looking past him, but he didn't want to turned around himself, not to be rude.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly.

Alfred finally glanced at him. "Um- someone- someone just started taking pictures of us..." He looked like a deer in the headlights.

"What? That's ridiculous... why would anyone-" Arthur froze. For a moment he completely forgot the fact he was known to public. Alfred made him feel normal with the way he talked to the Brit. He bit his lip, then glanced around, seeing his probably least favourite person in the world sitting right behind him. "Francis Bonnefoy..." He gritted his teeth and quickly turned back. "Fuck..." He cursed under his breath.

Alfred just wanted to disappear. "Is- is that bad?" He asked carefully, and Arthur could almost see an invisible barrier growing around Alfred, separating him from the world again as he began finishing his cheesecake a bit more frantically.

"No- no! It's fine~" He smiled tightly. "No worries..."

Arthur had just lost his appetite. Without saying a word, he moved his plate toward Alfred, who seemed so distressed he barely noticed the sudden abundance of the previously gone cake.

Arthur asked for the check, feeling his hair stand up as he heard that laughter. That annoying, nasal, French laughter. He needed to get out quickly.

Alfred had in the meanwhile finished eating and he was chewing on his lip fervently. He had no clue why the man took photos of them, or why it made Arthur so upset. He watched Arthur pay, stand up and help him along. Before he realised it, they had left the restaurant in a swift tempo.

"A-Arthur, who was that?" Alfred asked, hurrying next to Arthur.

"Uh- no one." He walked so fast Alfred had almost problems keeping up. "Shall we go to my place~?" Arthur dodged the topic so well Alfred couldn't complain.

He smiled shyly. "I- I mean... heh..."

Arthur hailed a taxi and pushed Alfred inside before getting in himself.

"Thanks for... the dinner..." Alfred smiled, panting very lightly.

Arthur smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist sneakily. "I hope you enjoyed yourself~"

Alfred just nodded, resting his head on Arthur's shoulder- Arthur was melting on the inside. They enjoyed the comfortable silence until their arrival.

After paying, Arthur helped the other out and led him to his flat, trying not to focus on what had just happened.

Alfred, on the other hand, had long forgotten, because the apartment he had entered was simply too amazing. Everything was roomy and modern and it all looked incredibly fancy! He took off his shoes and glanced at Arthur.

"Come in~" He smiled and took Alfred's hand, leading him to a big, white, leather couch in the centre of the living room.

"Your... your place is really nice..." Alfred murmured as he was pushed to sit down by Arthur, who smiled. "Thanks... now, make yourself at home, I'll be right back!" Arthur handed Alfred the remote and walked up a twisted staircase.

Alfred watched him leave, then looked at the remote control and turned on the tv. "Mmm..." He hummed to himself, browsing the channels.

Arthur was making a phone call upstairs, trying to negotiate with Bonnefoy or his publisher, but to no avail. The photo of him and Alfred would be in tomorrow's press. He was furious, and more importantly, he was worried. The Brit hoped to God Francis wasn't going to publish something he'd regret. Making Arthur angry was way too easy, especially when someone hurt his pride. Since there was nothing he could really do, he gave up.

Arthur returned and found Alfred watching some cartoon, comfortably settled on the sofa. He smiled and sat down next to him. "What is that?" He turned to Alfred.

"Heh- I-I dunno..." Alfred grabbed the remote and started searching again.

"Oh- you could have kept that channel on..." Arthur frowned lightly and looked at the screen.

"We can pick some channel... together..." The American murmured, handing the remote to Arthur, who sighed. "Oh, Alfred... you're adorkable."

Alfred knitted his brows, perplexed; Arthur just ruffled his hair in amusement. They agreed on a light romantic comedy, Arthur offered Alfred some wine and they spent the rest of the night watching tv.

Eventually, Arthur glanced at Alfred and cleared his voice. "I suppose you are going to stay here for the night?" Seeing Alfred's expression though, Arthur realised the wine made Alfred a bit tipsy.

"Here~?" He smiled sweetly. "Yesss please~"

Arthur rolled his eyes with a chuckle and stood up. "C'mon... let's get you to bed..."

The other widened his eyes, clumsily getting to his feet as well. "Whose bed?" Then Alfred giggled. "Who's bad... whose bed... who's bed..."

"My bed, obviously..." He decided not to comment the rest.

"Your bed? Where... where're you gonna sleep?" The American frowned, obviously confused.

Arthur smirked. "By your side." He pecked Alfred's cheek and grabbed his hand. "Now, follow me, love~" He purred, leading Alfred to his bedroom.

Not that he planned on doing anything anyway, with Alfred the way he was. Arthur didn't even make him change- his clothes would be too small anyway. He took off his socks and pants carefully, and probably having underestimated how drunk the widely smiling boy was, he pushed him down onto the bed and tucked him in.

Arthur took a quick shower. When he returned, already in his pajamas, Alfred was sleeping peacefully. Arthur lied down next to him, gently spooning him, and soon they both slept peacefully, intertwined.

~~~

The next morning Arthur woke up to a buzzing sound. It was his phone. He carefully unwrapped his arms from Alfred and rubbed his eyes, then stretches his arms and turned to reach for his phone.

His phone which was blowing up with messages. He opened one of them; it was from his brother.

Then his blood froze. It was a screenshot of an article. There was Alfred's puzzled face and Arthur's back and choppy hair. The title read:

  
"A lost bet or a disgraceful taste in men? Kirkland caught dining with this young man!"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm deadly tired. I hope it wasn't so bad. I've been writing it for way too long. And I finally pushed myself. It could've been better, but hey, at least it is at all xD


	5. UPDATE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I need to update y'all! Don't panic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can follow my account @alfred-is-my-spirit-country on tumblr!   
> Please do, I am planning something and will update there ;D   
> You can also message me there! I'm open to ideas, rps, or prompts.

Hey guys!   
  
To begin with, _thank you_ for all the lovely support on the previous chapters! I appreciate it! I love writing about these two and I am glad the fandom is mildly alive and enjoying the story. ALSO: If anyone has ideas (for UkUs or other pairings, or even fandoms) **do share on tumblr**!   
  
The story isn't over yet. I have not given up on this! The next chapter is in the making, however, I've been dealing with a lot of things for the past year and a half and my creativity has suffered. I am having a minor life/indentity crisis after having finished high school. Therefore it might take some time for it to be long enough and good enough to upload. :(  
  
I'm sorry about that. But your interaction with me and the story keep me going! Each comment makes writing easier :) So thank you once again.  
   
To put it shortly, **I will update**.  
  
 **I love you all!**  
  
P.S. If you want to stay updated, _follow me on tumblr!_


	6. Calm before the storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur knows they have become a story for tabloids, but Alfred hasn't a clue yet. Should he tell him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay it's finally here and I managed to upload before my first year of the university begins haha. Hope you enjoy, it's not the drama yet. I couldn't jump right into that.

Arthur stared at the screen of his phone, leaning against the headboard of his bed. His mind went blank. The article had already had too many views. The news was spreading fast. There was nothing he could do about it- Arthur Kirkland felt helpless.  
Angry and helpless.  
Suddenly, he noticed some movement next to him, and he was snapped back to reality. He glanced to his side, and felt his heart clench. Alfred was still asleep, frowning a bit. He looked so peaceful. And handsome. Cherubic~ You see, Alfred’s face was ridiculously cute. He could’ve been a model.

Well... in Arthur’s eyes, at least.

He bit his lip, his eyes getting wet. He wasn’t the one to cry, but sometimes he got very close... Why was it now? Because he was guilty of pulling Alfred into the mess that is his life. Because the only hypothetical “problem” with him was that, yes, he was overweight. Because Alfred did not deserve to be objectified anyway!

There was so little he could do. And although he knew it wouldn’t help anything, he wanted to punch Francis in the face. He deserved that for messing with the Brit. He knew Arthur too well. And if anyone was able to get properly angry, it was Arthur. In his mind, he laid out his options. Either he would tell Alfred right away. As soon as he wakes up. But that is an unpleasant setup.

The other option was to make it slow. Gradually explain it all to Alfred. Tell him about his history with Francis, about their conflict, and finally, about the news. So it’s not too much all at once- after all, Alfred is rather sensitive.

Then, there was the third option. Hide it. Conceal it as much as he could. He would have to lie to Alfred, but only for his well-being, of course.

As he was contemplating, seated on the bed, he noticed Alfred stirring a bit more. He was definitely waking up, so Arthur had to act fast. He turned towards Alfred, whose eyes opened lazily.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty...” Arthur gave him a peck, to which Alfred smiled, closing his eyes.

“Mmm... mornin’” He replied. And Christ, was he beautiful. In the white sheets, Alfred looked like an angel; as if he had truly been a cherub in a baroque painting, resting on a fluffy cloud, corpulent and well-taken care of. Most of him was hidden by the duvet, only his thick leg was peeking out

Arthur couldn’t help but grin like a goofball. He moved to straddle the other male, attacking his nose with a gentle boop. “Did you sleep well?”

Alfred nodded. Soon his eyes opened once again, rather widely now, because his belly cried for food. His cheeks grew rosy. “Guess I could eat though...”

It brought a smile to Arthur face, all worries gone. “I’ll go make breakfast~ What would you like?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter.” The other replied sheepishly.

 

~~

 

Alfred changed into some oversized tee, which somehow ended up in Arthur’s closet, and a pair of roomy shorts with the same fate, while Arthur prepared rather big breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, some bacon, and lots of vegetables. Alfred managed to wolf it all down with ease. At this point, all Arthur wanted to do was to pamper Alfred, at least until hell broke loose, which was apparently sooner than he’d prefer. He was settled down on the sofa with Alfred’s head on his shoulder. They were listening to some slow, calming playlist, and everything felt perfect. At that moment, Arthur forgot the drama. But the drama didn’t forget Arthur. He was nuzzling Alfred’s hair, comfortable in his warm embrace, when Arthur’s phone, which was laid on the table, went off. His body tensed up. This was his agent’s ringtone. Alfred straightened up, giving him a puzzling look for the lack of reaction on Arthur’s side. “Won’t you pick it up?”

Arthur only gave Alfred a brief glance. He couldn’t look him in the eye now that he was reminded of the harsh reality waiting for them outside of his apartment. “Yes, yes.” He stood up, quickly grasping the phone, and hurried to the terrace, closing the door behind him. Finally, he answered the call.

His agent was distressed. He wasn’t angry, there was no reason, and he knew Arthur well enough to know he fully realised how messed up the situation was, so Arthur didn’t have to explain anything either. All his agent needed was for Arthur to talk to Francis- he was even willing to arrange the meeting. Arthur would talk to Francis, but he couldn’t guarantee not punching him. At least at first, until his agent reminded him that Francis was the one with the power to get anything printed, and at that Arthur decided to re-evaluate. Needless to say, by the time Arthur returned to Alfred, he was even more frustrated than before. But he had to at least try to be the more mature one there.

Alfred glanced at Arthur questioningly. “Who was that?”

“Uh- just my agent.” The answer satisfied Alfred and he cuddled up to Arthur again.

The rest of the day was peaceful. Arthur talked Alfred into staying over longer than he had anticipated, however it was a weekend and Alfred didn’t have to go to work. They watched movies and attempted to cook lunch or more like dinner, which failed miserably since Arthur didn’t listen to Alfred’s advice. In the end they both agreed on takeout.

As the evening was approaching, Arthur was sitting next to Alfred on the terrace bench, and while Alfred was fascinated by the view of the sunset behind the skyscrapers, Arthur smiled to himself, observing the American rather than the city. He was so different now after the day they spent together. Alfred had changed a lot since they first met anyway, but now Arthur felt like the wall of insecurity Alfred used to hide behind was finally gone. He reached out and took Alfred’s hand into his, giving it a light squeeze.

Alfred looked over, his attention immediately focused on Arthur. A grin grew on his face as he squeezed the hand back. “Today was the best day ever.” He said cheerfully, giving Arthur’s cheek a peck. Arthur gently let go of his hand to cup his face as he gave him a proper kiss. He was gentle as ever- at first at least. Clearly Alfred was enjoying the moment as he joined in quite intensely. Arthur didn’t know the boy had it in him, but he couldn’t complain less. He wasn’t bad a bad kisser at all.

They both pulled away, panting lightly. Staring into each other’s eyes, they both knew they wanted the same thing. Arthur stood up, taking Alfred’s hands.   
“Let’s go take a shower.” He smirked suggestively. Clearly, Alfred hesitated at that. Although at first he was reluctant, in the end, Arthur talked him into it.

Once Arthur had pulled Alfred in, he closed the door in a very swift motion, and pinned Alfred against it- not violently, mind you. He was gentle with Alfred, he had to be. At first, his eyes went wide, he quickly calmed down after a small peck though. Arthur started playing with the hem of Alfred’s tee then, leaving a trail of kisses on his jawline and neck, as he felt the other melt underneath him. “Melt” was just accurate, since his chubby belly was soft and pliable against Arthur’s torso.  He sneaked his hand under the t-shirt, unable to stop himself. His fingers curled into the flabby side. Finally, Arthur had the chance to do so. To touch Alfred properly. And it was worth the wait.

“A-Arthur…” Alfred let out breathily while he was getting a hickey, and Arthur pulled away slowly to look at him properly. Alfred’s hair was a mess, given that Arthur’s hand ruffled it up, his face was crimson, and most importantly, his eyes, for the first time, darkened with lust.

Only then did Arthur realise Alfred tugged on his tee. He chuckled, amused, and got rid of his top quickly. Alfred smiled sweetly, looking him up and down. Arthur was rather slim, and generally petite. But the other didn’t seem to mind, placing his warm, soft hand on his chest and kissing him lovingly, but shortly.

“Well,” Arthur began, slightly lifting up the hem of Alfred’s tee, “Your turn, love.” He spoke softly, genuinely. He wanted to make Alfred feel same.

Clearly, it must have worked, because Alfred, after shutting his eyes tight, peeled off his shirt and threw it to the floor. He remained still, and Arthur was in awe. Alfred was wearing the shorts, his sides spilling out of the rubber band. His waist was peppered with few faded and fresher stretchmarks, and his pale belly hung out of the shorts by a bit. His chest looked wonderfully soft, and the first thought on Arthur’s perverse mind was to cup Alfred’s moobs. But of course, he had some self-control. He took a deep breath, and Alfred’s eyes shot open.

“Alfred, you are beautiful.” Arthur spoke, placing his hands on Alfred’s sides. He knew it was all good when the other didn’t even flinch. Instead, he turned bright red and bashful.

“I-uh...” Alfred stuttered, “Thanks..?”

Arthur could only grin like an idiot. Once again, he kissed Alfred, wrapping his arms around his waist, and Alfred kissed him back. Soon enough, they were both in the shower. Arthur couldn’t stop smiling, which to anyone who knew him would have been unbelievable. But around Alfred, he could help it.

“Turn around, trust me.” Arthur instructed, and Alfred did. He began massaging his back gently.

“Okay… This is sooo nice.” Alfred muttered, completely at ease, as Arthur’s hands made their way all over his back. Besides, he had a very nice view of Alfred’s bottom, he thought to himself with a smirk. “Mmm, push a bit harder over there.” The other added, moaning, and Arthur laughed. “Alfred, please.”

“Oh- sorry.” Alfred said quickly, realising how sexual he sounded.

“I don’t mind in the slightest.” Arthur chuckled again, and applied a bit more force to the spot. “You are making me hornier though.” He added in a whisper, which caught Alfred off guard. “Eh… I… uh…” He let out, and Arthur giggled again.

“Please, Alfred, there is nothing to worry about.”

That had reminded Arthur, that, in fact, there was something.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this! Feel free to leave a comment :) Next chapter will be up very soon.


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